Carton with reclosing pour spout



March 14, 1961 G. E. STRUBLE 2,974,846

CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Filed May 19, 1959 V 2 Sheers-Sheet 1INVENTOR Glenn E. S.truble BY KARL. Locus ATTORNEY March 14, 1961 G. E.STRUBLE 2,974,846

CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Filed May 19, 1959 2 sheei's-sheet 2INVENTOR Glenn E. STruble BY KARL. U). :Locts ATTORNEY United StatesPatent O CARTON WITH RECLOSING POUR SPOUT Glenn E. Struble, Hamilton,Ohio, assignor to Diamond National Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Filed May 19, 1959, Ser. No. 814,292

12 Claims. (Cl. 22917) The present invention relates to a carton, andmore particularly to a carton having a reclosing pour spout.

Cartons made of paperboard material, or the like, have long been usedfor the packaging of a wide variety of products, including granular andflaked products. These cartons have often provided for the severing of aclosure lid therefrom, so that the resulting opening could be used as apouring throat or spout.

While these cartons, as above referred to, have performed with a certaindegree of satisfaction, there have been nevertheless certaindeficiencies in them. Among these deficiencies of the prior art cartonsare the inability of the cartons to be reclosed once they have beenopened, thus permitting foreign matter to enter into the opening in thecarton. In addition, the failure of the carton to be reclosed properlyalso results in the contents of the carton spilling out as when, forexample, the carton is accidentally turned on its side. Anotherdeficiency of these cartons has resided in the irregular opening throughwhich the contained material was to be poured. Hence, it was difiicultwith these cartons to readily pour a controlled amount of contents fromthem due to the irregular shape of the pouring opening or throat.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carton having apouring spout with a reclosing lid.

7 Another object of the present invention is the provision of such acarton in which a movable closure lid is releaseably held in a reclosedposition.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cartonhaving a pour spout with a reclosing lid and also having a regularlyshaped pouring throat, to thereby permit readily controlled pouring ofthe contents thereof.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant inventionwill be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank, with certain parts there- .of folded,for making a carton in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carton in accordance with the presentinvention during the erection thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views showing the carton ofthe present invention in further stages of the erection thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a corner of a carton in accordance withthe present invention after the lid thereof has been initially opened.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective illustrating the reclosing of theclosure lid of the carton.

' Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the cartonduring a further stage of the reclosing of the closure lid thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are usedto designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is shown in Fig.v 1 a blank 10 for a carton in accordance with thepresent invention, the blank 10 comprising an end panel 11, a side panel12, and end-panel 13 and a sidepanel 14.

2,974,846 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice 2 These panels are of equal height,and are separated by fold lines designated 15, 16 and 17. Foldablyconnected to side panel 14 at the side margin thereof defined by a foldline 18 is a throat panel 19, throat panel 19 having a second throatpanel 20 connected thereto along a fold line 21. Throat panel 19 has astrip of glue 22 extending along the fold line 18 and the throat panel20 has a strip of glue 23 extending along the free edge thereof. At thetops of each of the strips of glue 22 and 23 are small, preferablytriangular, areas 24 and 25, respectively, that have varnish applied tothem. The throat panel 19 is of approximately the same width as the endpanels 11 and 13, and has a heighth equal to the heighth of the panels11, 12, 13 and 14 throughout at least a part of its width beginning atthe fold line 18.

Foldably connected to the top of end panel 11 is a triangular flap 31.Top flaps 32, 33 and 34 are similarly foldably connected to the tops ofpanels 12, 13 and 14, respectively. The usual bottom flaps are connectedto the bottoms of the panels 11 to 14, as shown.

Triangular flap 31 has an edge 35 thereof in line with the fold line 15.The hypotenuse 36 of triangular flap 31 extends at approximately a 45angle to the edge 35, and a score 37 extends at the same diagonal anglein the top flap 32 from the upper corner 38 thereof that is adjacenttriangular flap 31. Also, top flap 34 has a diagonal score 39 thereinthat is parallel to diagonal score 37 and extends to the lower corner 40of top flap 34 that is adajcent the throat panel 19.

End panel 11 has a score 41 therein and side panel 12 has a score 42therein, these scores 41 and 42 diverging from the upper end of foldline 15. Score 41 terminates intermediate the sides of end panel 11, andscore 42 is substantially equal in length to score 41. End panel 11 alsohas a line of perforations 43 therein that extends from the upper freecorner 44 thereof to the end of score 41. Similarly, a line ofperforations 45 in side panel 12 extends from the lower end of score 42diagonally upwardly to the top of side panel 12. A out line 46 extendsbetween and connects the lower ends of scores 41 and 42, this cut line46 being undulated to provide the lobes 47 and 48 in the end panel 11and side panel 12, respectively.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a cartonduring an intermediate stage of its erection from the blank 10 of Fig.l. The blank 10 has been folded so that the side panels 12 and 14 areparallel to each other, and so that throat panel 19 is parallel to endpanel 13. Throat panel 20 has been secured to the inside of side panel12, in the usual manner, and top flap 33 has been folded inwardly. Endpanel 11, which will be folded so as to be secured in overlyingrelationship to throat panel 19 extends in coplanar relationship withside panel 12, and the flaps 31, 32 and 34 have not yet been infolded,but instead are shown, for purposes of clarity, in a slightly outfoldedposition.

In Fig. 3, there may be seen the appearance of the carton after the endpanel 11 has been folded over throat panel 19 and secured in position.The flaps 31, 32 and 34 are not yet folded down to form the top of thecarton. The folding of the panels to form the top of the carton is shownin Fig. 4, wherein the triangular flap 31 was first folded in, then theflap '32 and finally the flap 34. Securing of the various flaps into thefolded condition to form the completed carton is done in the normalmanner, and

the carton has the appearance as shown in this figure. There may be seenin Fig. 5 a triplanar closure lid section 50, the section 50 being madeup of parts of end panel 11, side panel 12, top flaps 32 and 34 andtriangular flap 31. More particularly, the line of perforations 45 maybe seen in side panel or wall 12 extending diagonally from a point onthe upper margin thereof that is removed from the triplanar juncture 51of the end panel or wall 11, side panel or wall 12 and the top wall ofthe carton. The line of perforations 45 may be seen to terminate shortof the juncture between walls 11 and 12. Side wall 12 also has thediagonal score 42 therein extending between the juncture of walls 11 and12 and the lower end of the line of perforations 45. A similar line ofperforations 43 may be seen in the end wall 11 extending diagonally froma point on the upper margin thereof removed from juncture 51 towards butshort of the corner between the side and end walls 12 and 11. Diagonalscore 41 and end wall 11 extend between the juncture 51 and the lowerend of the line of perforations 43. The cut 46 may also be seen in Fig.4 extending between the lower ends of the lines of perforations 43 and45. The score 39 in top 34 extends between the upper ends of the linesof perforations 43 and 45; underlying the score 39 is the score 37 intop panel 32, and underlying the score 37 is the free edge or hypotenuse36 of the triangular fiap31.

It will be understood that the carton is partially erected from theblank 10, and is filled through either the open top or bottom thereof,and then the remaining opening, provided by the unfolded top or bottomflaps, is closed. The carton is then shipped, filled, in the conditionshown in Fig. 4. When the carton has been purchased, and it is desiredto open it so that the contents thereof may be poured from it, it isonly necessary to partially sever the corner closure lid section 50along the lines of perforations 43 and 45 and to raise the section 50 onthe hinge line formed by the scores 37 and 39. The appearance of thecarton with the closure lid section 50 opened and raised is shown inFig. 5, where there may be seen the score 37 of top panel 32. There mayalso be seen the upper ends of the throat panels 19 and 20, which remainin position when the cover lid section 50 is raised, and therebyprovides a regular pouring opening for the contents of the carton.

When it is desired to reclose the corner closure lid 50, it is onlynecessary to squeeze the parts thereof that were made from the end panel11 and the side panel 12,

so that the intermediate parts thereof are caused to fold inwardly onthe scores 41 and 42, this action being shown in Fig. 6. When the partshave been sufliciently squeezed, the entire corner closure lid section50 may be moved downwardly, the depending parts thereof being positionedinteriorily of the throat panels 19 and 20, this reclosed position beingobtained upon a movement of the section 50 slightly past the positionshown in Fig. 7. Due to the natural resiliency of the paperboardmaterial of which the carton is made, the depending parts of cornerclosure lid section 56 will push against the interior surfaces of throatpanels 19 and 20 and thereby secure the closure lid section 50 intoposition by frictional contact.

Itmay be seen that the carton manufactured from the blank has a pourspout formed by the throat panels 19 and 20, together with a reclosableclosure lid section 50. This reclosable lid section is releasably held,as by friction, in the reclosed position, and this lid section 50 issecurely held in position during shipment of the carton, due to theunseparated perforation lines 43 and 45. Once the carton of the presentinvention has been opened, the pour spout provided has a regularopening, thus permitting ready control of the pouring of the contents ofthe carton. 7

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification but only as indicated in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for a carton comprising an end paneL-a 4 side panel, an endpanel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being of equalheight and separated by fold lines, a first throat panel foldablyconnected to said second side panel at a side margin thereof, a secondthroat panel foldably connected to said first throat panel, a triangularflap foldably connected to the top of said first end panel and havingone edge thereof in line with the fold line between the first end paneland the first side panel, first and second top flaps respectivelyfoldably connected to said side panels, a diagonal score in said firsttop flap extending from the upper corner thereof adjacent saidtriangular flap, a diagonal score in said second top flap parallel tosaid first diagonal score and extending to the lower corner thereofadjacent said first throat panel, a pair of scores in said first end andside panels, respectively, diverging from the upper end of the fold lineconnecting said first end and side panels, the score in said first endpanel terminating intermediate the sides thereof and the score in saidfirst side panel being of substantially equal length as the score in thefirst end panel, a line of perforations extending from the upper freecorner of said first end panel to the end of the score in said panel, aline of perforations extending from the lower end of the score in thefirst side panel diagonally upward ly to the top thereof, and a out lineextending between the lower end of the scores in said first end and sidepanels.

2. The blank of claim 1, said cut line being undulated and defining alobe in each of the first end and side panels.

3. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an endpanel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separatedby fold lines, a first throat panel foldably connected to said secondside panel at a side margin thereof, a second throat panel foldablyconnected to said first throat panel, a triangular flap foldablyconnected to the top of said first end panel and having one edge thereofin line with the fold line between the first end panel and the firstside panel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connectedto said side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extendingfrom the upper corner thereof adjacent said triangular flap to thebottom margin of said first top flap, a diagonal score in said secondtop flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to thelower corner thereof adjacent said first throat panel, a line ofperforations extending from the upper free corner of said first endpanel and terminating intermediate the sides thereof, a line ofperforations in'the first side panel extending from the lower end of thescore in the first top flap diagonally downwardly in convergingrelationship with said other line of perforations and of length equal tosaid other lines of perforations, and a cut line extending between thelower end of the lines of perforations in said first end and sidepanels.

4. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an endpanel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separatedby fold lines, a triangular flap foldably connected to the top of saidfirst end panel and having one edge thereof in line with the fold linebetween the first end panel and the first side panel, first and secondtop flaps respectively foldably connected to said side panels, adiagonal score in said first top flap extending from the upper cornerthereof adjacent said triangular fiap, a diagonal score in said secondtop flap parallel to said first diagonal score and extending to thelower corner thereof remote from said second end panel, a pair of scoresin said first end and side panels, respectively, diverging from theupper of the fold line connecting said first end and side panels,thescore in said first end panel terminating intermediate the sidesthereof and the score in said first side panel being of substantiallyequal length as the score in the first end panel, a line of perforationsextending from the upper free corner of said first end panel to the endof the score in said panel, a line of perforations extending from thelower end of the score in the first side panel diagonally upwardly tothe top thereof, and a out line extending between the lower end of thescores in said first end and side panels.

5. A blank for a carton comprising an end panel, a side panel, an endpanel and a side panel, in the order named, said panels being separatedby fold lines, a flap foldably connected to the top of said first endpanel, first and second top flaps respectively foldably connected tosaid side panels, a diagonal score in said first top flap extending fromthe upper corner thereof adjacent said last mentioned flap, a diagonalscore in said second top flap parallel to said first diagonal score andextending to the lower corner thereof remote from said second end panel,a pair of scores in said first end and side panels, respectively,diverging from the upper of the fold line connecting said first end andside panels, the score in said first end panel terminating intermediatethe sides thereof and the score in said first side panel being ofsubstantially equal length as the score in the first end panel, a lineof perforations extending from the upper free corner of said first endpanel to the end of the score in said panel, a line of perforationsextending from the lower end of the score in the first side paneldiagonally upwardly to the top thereof, a out line extending between thelower end of the scores in said first end and side panels, and a throatpanel foldably connected to the second-mentioned side panel at the sidemargin thereof.

6. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and aside wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a secondtop fiap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and topmeeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said sidewall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereofremoved from said juncture towards but short of the corner between saidside and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending betweensaid juncture and the lower end of said line of perforations, a line ofperforations in said end wall extending diagonally from a point on theupper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short ofsaid corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending between saidjuncture and the lower end of the line of perforations in said end wall,a cut in said end and side walls connecting the lower ends of said linesof perforations, a score in said first top flap extending between saidpoints on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second topflap having a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap,whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section, and a pair offoldably connected throat panels within said carton, one adjacent eachsaid end and side panels and positioned to be exposed upon movement ofsaid corner closure lid section as a unit on said score in said firsttop panel.

7. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and aside wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a secondtop flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and topmeeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said sidewall extending diagonflly from a point on the upper margin thereofremoved from said juncture towards but short of the corner between saidside and end walls, a line of perforations in said end wall extendingdiagonally from a point on the upper margins thereof removed from saidjuncture towards but short of said corner, a cut in said end and sidewall connecting the lower ends of said lines of perforations, a diagonalscore in each of said side and end walls extending from said juncture tosaid out, a score in said first top flap extending between said pointson the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second top flaphaving a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap, wherebyto define a triplanar corner closure lid section, and a pair of throatpanels within said carton, one adjacent each said end and side panelsand positioned to be exposed upon movement of said corner closure lidsection as a unit on said score in said first top panel.

8. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and aside wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a secondtop flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and topmeeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said sidewall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereofremoved from said juncture towards but short of the corner between saidside and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending betweensaid juncture and the lower end of said line of perforations, a line ofperforations in said end wall extending diagonally from apoint on theupper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but short ofsaid corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending between saidjuncture and the lower end of the line of perforations in said end wall,a cut in said end and side wall connecting the lower ends of said linesof perforations, a score in said first top flap extending between saidpoints on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said second topflap having a free edge underlying said score in said first top flap,whereby to define a triplanar corner closure lid section.

9. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising an end wall and aside wall, a first top flap integral with said side wall and a secondtop flap integral with said end wall, said side wall, end wall and topmeeting at a triplanar juncture, a line of perforations in said sidewall extending diagonally from a point on the upper margin thereofremoved from said juncture towards but short of the corner between saidside and end walls, a diagonal score in said side wall extending fromsaid juncture toward the lower end of said line of perforations, a lineof perforations in said end wall extending diagonally from a point onthe upper margins thereof removed from said juncture towards but shortof said corner, a diagonal score in said end wall extending from saidjuncture towards the lower end of the line of perforations in said endwall, a cut in said end and side wall connecting the lower ends of saidlines of perforations, a score in said first top flap extending betweensaid points on the upper margins of said side and end walls, said secondtop flap having a free edge underlying said score, whereby to define atriplanar corner closure lid section, and throat panel means on said endand side walls and extending above the lower margins of the triplanarclosure lid section.

10. The carton of claim 9, said throat panel means comprising a pair ofthroat panels within said carton, one adjacent each said end and sidepanel and positioned to be exposed upon movement of said corner sectionas a unit on said score in said first top panel.

ll. A carton having a reclosable pour spout comprising a triplanarjuncture of an end .wall, a side wall and a top, means defining atriplanar closure lid section of said juncture comprising a diagonallyextending score in the carton top having the ends thereof on twoadjacent side margins of said top, said score being spaced from a cornerof said top, means in said end wall for permitting the ready severing ofa generally triangular portion thereof depending from and integral withthe part of said top bounded by said score, means in said side wall forpermitting the ready severing of a generally triangular portion thereofdepending from and integral with said part of said top and said portionof said end wall, a score in each of said end and side triangularportions diverging from the common juncture of said portions and saidtop part, and a throat panel behind each of said triangular portions.

12. The carton of claim 11, and a downwardly extending lobe on each ofsaid generally triangular portions beneath the score thereof.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the file of thispatent 2,403,138 2,475,677 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,509,289

1,286,038 Lowy Nov. 26, 1918 5 2,039,437 Moore May 5, 1936 426,341

8 Sullivan July 2, 1946 Ringler July 12, 1949 Dunning May 30, 1950FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1935

